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V 







THE PILGRIM'S STAFF 



BY 
MAY LOUISE TIBBITS 



Hope is the pilgrim's staff, 

A friend 

Unto life's journ«y's end. 




BOSTON 
SHERMAN, FRENCH & COMPANY 

1911 









Copyright, 1911 
Sherman, French &> Company 



©GI.A300421 



TO 

MY 
SISTER CECELIA 

Thy faithfulness, O sister soul, 

Will help me reach the Heavenly goal. 



The following poems are used by kind permission 
of The Christian Advocate, Western Christian Advocate, 
Sunday School Journal and Bible Students Magazine: 

The Soul's Flight 

If We Could Understand 

Kindness 

Poured Out 

Service 

Sorrow's Alchemy 

Thy Day 

As a Little Child 

Anywhere 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

THE SOUL'S FLIGHT 1 

GOD'S ACRE 2 

IF WE HAD ONLY KNOWN 3 

OUR OWN 4 

PURIFIED 5 

SORROW'S ALCHEMY 6 

GOD'S SCHOOL 7 

COMPANIONSHIP 8 

FAITH >9 

AS A LITTLE CHILD 10 

HAPPINESS 11 

TRANSMUTATION 12 

SAFE 13 

BLESSINGS 14 

A DAY 15 

MY ROSARY 16 

LIFE 17 

DEATH 18 

VTA DOLOROSA : : . 19 

DIVINE LOVE . 20 

CONFIDENCE 21 

PURPOSE 22 

BREAD OF LIFE . 23 

PEACE . ; 24 

LONGINGS 25 

UNFREIGHTED SHIPS 26 

IF 27 

A PRAYER 28 

GOD'S CARE 29 



PAGE 

ASSURANCE 30 

THE WAYS OF LIFE 31 

WITHOUT— WITHIN 32 

APART 33 

THE SOUL'S CRY 34 

SERVICE 35 

INASMUCH 36 

COMPENSATION . 37 

CONSECRATION 38 

ANYWHERE 39 

THY DAY 40 

IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND 41 

THE MASTER'S PORTION 43 

KINDNESS 44 

A HALLOWED DAY 45 

INFLUENCE 46 

POURED OUT 47 

LOVE'S MINISTRY 48 

RESURRECTION MORN 49 

THE SOUL'S MARCH ......... 50 

DIVINE PITY 51 

RESPONSIBILITY 52 

POSSESSION S3 

THE CROSS-ROADS 54 

THE MESSAGE OF THE HOURS 55 

FORGIVENESS . . 56 

WEAKNESS 57 

CHARITY 58 

MY HERITAGE 59 

SONGS IN THE NIGHT 60 



PAGE 

SYMPATHY . 61 

THE COMMON TASK 62 

THY KINGDOM 63 

THE CHRIST 64 

THE UPLANDS . 65 

OPPORTUNITY 66 

LIFE'S LOOM 67 

SORROW 68 

INJUSTICE 69 

RENUNCIATION 70 

BURDEN-SHARING 71 

TRUST . 72 

GOD'S BOUNTY 73 

LIFE'S MUSIC 74 

DIVINITY 75 

THE OLD YEAR 76 



THE SOUL'S FLIGHT 

A birdling poised on the edge of the nest 

Tried its wings for flight 

In the morning light, 

And fluttering fell to the ground. 
No strength in the wings that have had no 
fight with the air. 

But now see it soar 

Far up the blue. 

As it passes from sight 

In its newborn might. 

A lesson it brings to this soul of mine 
That with pinions poised sought to mount to 

the skies, 
But for lack of strength it could not rise. 

The years speed by, this soul of mine 

Is on the wing. 

And soaring sings glad freedom's strain. 

The strength that only God can give 

Doth bid it live 

In realms of light and love 

With him above. 



[1] 



GOD'S ACRE 

She is not there; 

It is the pain racked tenement that held the 

spirit 
Fettered, until God called it to its mansion 

fair. 
The spirit had outgrown 
Its earthly home. 
We lay the precious dust away 
Until the resurrection day. 
The casket there, 

The jewel safe within the Father's care. 
As life in all its fulness grows 
It bursts its bonds ; 
No longer can it stay 
Encased in gloom from light of day. 
Can chrysalis for'ere enfold 
The lovely creature we behold? 
Or can the lily's bloom 
Remain in murky tomb? 
We mourn them lost, 
O, can it be redemption's cost 
Can mean so little? 

We have a living Saviour, not a dead one: 
They live, not here, but there, 
So safe within the Father's care. 



[2] 



IF WE HAD ONLY KNOWN 

If we had only known, 

How kind and gentle day by day 

We would have grown; 

How tender of our loved one's way, 

If we had only known 

That we so soon must walk alone. 

If we could only see 

The end from the beginning, 

Would we not ever be 

Just kind and winning? 

How softly would we touch life's lute 

Before it had grown mute. 

If we another's life 

Could know; its purpose and its strife, 

Would it not make our own 

More thoughtful, soften every tone? 

Would we not banish day by day 

The shadows from our brother's way? 



[3] 



OUR OWN 

Just gone before 

Our own bark shall be launched for Heaven's 

shore ; 
A little space 

And we, too, shall reach the place 
Where tired feet may rest: 
While we abide within this tenement of clay, 
What though the light of God's eternal day 
Be hid from view? 
We know we shall live too ; 
It is his promise: 
Why strain eyes dim with tears? 
Why break sad hearts at shrouded biers? 
The spirit fair has winged its way 
To glories of immortal day. 
Our loss is gain to that dear one 
Whose sands of life have early run 
The hour-glass of Time. 
He, who did tread the wine-press all alone, 
Whose grave fast-locked with sealed stone. 
Released by power divine. 
Has entered Port with yours and mine. 



[4] 



PURIFIED 

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." 
Mai. 3:3. 

He sitteth at the furnace door 

Lest flame consume the precious ore; 

It is His hand controls the heat 

That makes complete 

The perfect jewel. 

Shall we not bear 

The heat of life's affliction bravely 

Since in His care we are, the care of One 

Who is the Father's Son. 

When dross is all consumed and He beholds 

His perfect image in our souls, 

He'll stay the flame and set us free. 

Thrice blessed ministry. 



[5] 



SORROW'S ALCHEMY 

Life mends itself by using other lives 

To fill the rent made by the hand of sorrow. 

When we can borrow 

From some sadder heart 

A larger part 

Of grief, 

'Tis then we find relief. 

To feed 

Another's need 

Makes our own lighter grow. 

We know 

Christ came not to receive but give. 

'Tis thus we live. 



[6] 



GOD'S SCHOOL 

So patient is the Master; 

And we 

Who cannot see 

The end from the beginning, 

Grow restless when the lessons set 

By Him are hard ; we fret, 

And try to put aside the rule 

Of God's own school: 

The task is hard, we say, 

And so we turn away; 

Forgetting that when lessons hard are learned, 

We shall have grown in grace, 

The glory of his face 

Will shine in us. 

And we shall fitted be 

For life's eternity. 

'Tis not the Master's way to be unkind ; 

Did He not come to bind 

Up the broken-hearted? 

Some day we'll understand 

The lessons set by God's own hand, 

And then we'll wonder why it was that we 

Had failed to see 

God's goodness in the tasks 

He set for you and me. 



[7] 



COMPANIONSHIP 

If baptized I am with Thee 
I must have my Calvary ; 
Not alone the cross to bear, 
I, too, with my Lord, may share 
All the glories of the Mount; 
May I then not surely count 
It joy to be 
With Him, in Gethsemane? 



[8] 



FAITH 

Blind to all Thy purposes are we; 

And yet to see 

The way along life's road 

Would bode 

No good, but ill: 

Life's brightest day is all too dim for mortal 

sight : 
To walk aright 
Each day, 

Man must be led along life's way. 
When Heaven's portals open wide. 
And faith and sight stand side by side, 
Man's eyes no more will holden be, 
For in eternity 

The light of God's immortal day 
Will shine undimmed on life's rough way. 



[9] 



AS A LITTLE CHILD 

For some wise reason God withholds from you 
and me 

The mysteries of Eternity. 
Can we not trust, until he opens wide the gate, 

His love so great? 
As little children we must be. 
If we would come to see 

The Father's face, 

So full of love and grace. 
Can we not clasp the Father's hand and be at 

rest 
Because he knoweth best? 

As little children we must find 
The peace for which we pine. 
For he who holds the key 

To life's dark mystery 
Some day will lift from eyes the seal, 
And to the trusting soul reveal 
The way o'er which he led his child 
To pastures green, through deserts wild. 



[10] 



HAPPINESS 

It is not happiness to travel on life's road 

And feel the pressure of no load, 

No burden weighing down ; 

Without the cross there is no crown : 

To have no part in God's redemptive plan 

For man : 

But happiness it is to feel the thrill 

That comes from doing of God's will: 

With Him to place the choosing of our way, 

Then not to stay 

With laggard feet, 

But fleet 

Of foot, to go where He appoints; 

In Nature's book we read 

That every tiny seed 

Fulfills its mission ; 

Happy he 

Who doth fulfill life's destiny. 



[11] 



TRANSMUTATION 

In the crucible of life's great urn 

Sorrow into joy will turn 

If the alchemy aright is used, 

And the love of God is fused 

Into fervid heat; nothing can withstand 

The love of God to man. 



[la] 



SAFE 

When winds do blow 

My tiny craft now to and fro; 

If in the ship He lies at rest, 

E'en though the crest 

Of curling wave o'erwiielm my bark, 

And stars have paled, and it be dark. 

He'll bid the troubled waters cease. 

And all my soul shall be at peace. 



[13] 



BLESSINGS 

We quite forget that blessings low do lie, 

Not in the sky 

Far out of sight, is Christ, 

But here among his own 

Where he can hear life's moan : 

"Singing birds their nests build low:" 

Touching earth is God's rainbow: 

Truth is found at Jesus' feet 

Where Mary sat in contemplation sweet. 



[14,] 



A DAY 

A day; what is it but a span 

Of time allotted man 

To work in partnership with God, 

And fellowship with Christ the Lord, 

To carry out his plan divine, 

On this his day and mine? 

This day, dear Lord, thou givest me 

To mould and fashion it for thee; 

Divinely fair ; may I not mar 

Its symmetry ; be no bar 

To purposes of thine 

On this thy day and mine. 

This is thy day, dear Lord, not mine; 
Transfigured by thy touch divine. 
Each homely duty glorified will be 
When wrought for thee; 
And I may sing upon my way 
On this thy day. 

When dawn grows into noon, and noon to 

night, 
And fades the light, 
I fain would ask 
That no unfinished task 
Shall bid it stay. 
This, this thy day. 

[15] 



MY ROSARY 

Life is my rosary, on which is strung the beads 
of day : 
Each day a pearl. 
Tremulously I finger each priceless gem, 
Some day to be worn in my diadem. 



[16] 



LIFE 

As I arise each day 

And from Thy hand, 

Dear Lord, I take life's potion. 

May I understand 

The fullness of its meaning; 

The power that within myself doth lie, 

That I may try 

To rise on wings of high endeavor, 

Until at length 

In Thy great strength. 

Some vision of its power may see, 

The vision of the Christ in me. 



[17] 



DEATH 

I count it gain, not loss ; 

A crown, no cross ; 
A leaving of the shuttle and the loom 
To pass into life's upper room ; 
A going out from strife and sin 
To perfect peace within ; 
A traveling through a darkened way 
Into the light of endless day; 
A tuning of the lute 

That in Life's sluggish hand has grown so 
mute; 

A harbor, where 
The soul is safe from anxious care ; 
A spirit winging heaven's way 

From tenement of clay; 
A shelter from the wintry blast, 
A haven with the Christ at last. 



[18] 



VIA DOLOROSA 

The way of sorrow 
May lead thee to a glad to-morrow; 
Take thou thy cross, and cheerfully it bear 
Up Calvary's steep, the Christ will meet thee 
there. 



[19] 



DIVINE LOVE 

Love eternal, light immortal, 

Shines serene from Calvary's brow ; 

Cross upraised for God's law broken. 

Lamb as sacrificial token ; 
Through the Christ God's pardon spoken: 
"It is finished," Jesus cried ; 
Deity was satisfied. 



[ao] 



CONFIDENCE 

Though we fail to understand 

Appointed ways, a gentle hand 

Leads us up the rugged steep, 

Over land or on the deep ; 

Never need we walk alone, 

This his promise — he will ever keep his own. 

If the way be dark we tread, 

Joy is ours because we're led; 

Rough the road? why should we care, 

He has promised to be there: 

Boasted strength or favoring tide, 

Shall they take us from thy side? 



[21] 



PURPOSE 

Mine to do and dare 

Large things, and bear 

The sting of trial with a grace 

That comes from gazing on His face. 

Mine to be brave and true, 
A putting off the old and on the new 
Creation, that I equipped may be 
For every task He sendeth me. 

Mine to freight the hour 

With heavenly power, 

A lever that will lift to God 

A burdened world for Christ my Lord. 



[22] 



BREAD OF LIFE 

'Tis manna from yon Heaven 

To mortals given. 

Fresh every day from God's own hand, 

It covers all the land. 

Life giving, making whole 

The sin-sick soul. 

It is God's way 

That we the manna gather every day. 

Our need is great, 

But greater still his bounteous store 

From which we draw 

Our need ; 

Lord, feed 

Us evermore. 



[23] 



PEACE 

Outside of self man's efforts must be spent, 

Unto another must his life be lent 

Ere peace be found; 

Self once uncrowned, 

An exile far from home, 

Then peace will come. 

Self wars, and peace is all unknown, 

Self overcome, and peace is on the throne. 



I Ml 



LONGINGS 

Thy face, 

Dear Lord, to see; thy grace 

To know 

That here below 

A Heaven may be. 

Touched with thy great divinity: 

Thy truth to know, 

Thy love to flow 

Through me 

That all the beauty of my Lord may see. 

My life a prayer; 

With Thee, all joys to share: 

Within Thy law to live; 

To make Thy word my daily food, 

The sum of human good. 

To walk and talk with Thee, 

And so to live in charity. 



[25] 



UNFREIGHTED SHIPS 

Unfreighted ships on life's restless sea; 

On board, 

There is no cargo for the Lord: 

Where is the gold He gavest in trust? 

Where have we put it, where moth and where 

rust 
Its value consume? or where thieves enter in 
And seize it for sin? 
Only on board we find fruitless fears, 
There is no trace of the wealth of the years. 
Unfreighted ships on life's restless sea, 
Bound for the Port of Eternity. 



[26] 



IF 

If we could only know how deep the hurt would 
be 

To our own souls 
For Time and for Eternity, 
How careful of life's jar and fret ; 

But we forget. 

If we could only feel the world's great ache of 
heartj 

From life's deep stress 
Would we still hold apart 

With faces set, 

Try to forget? 

If when we hear the world's sad measured tread, 

We'd Christlike be, 
And banish clouds that hover overhead; 

No vain regret 
Would then be ours because we did forget. 



[27] 



A PRAYER 

Grant, dear Lord, that I may be 

In all sweet charity 

Like unto Thee ; 

Patient in suffering, attentive to thy lightest 

whisper ; 
Do Thou this day 
Help to faithfulness, I pray ; 
Grant that some soul through me 
Now blest may be: 
In life's great work, 
Help me in sunny fields, or in the murk 
Of city street. 
To be fleet- 

Footed for thy every task. 
This, Lord, I ask: 
To lift some burden weighing down, 
To smooth away the frown ; 
Give strength to sow the seed 
Of service, man's great need; 
Of kindness, God's sweet gift ; 
Of power to send a rift 
Of light into some darkened heart; 
To be a part 
Of Thy great plan 
For man. 



[28] 



GOD'S CARE 

What of the raging sea, 

If the Christ of Galilee 

Be at thy side 

Rebuking the fretting wave? 

His power is mighty to save. 

What of the dungeon dark? 

What of thy storm-tossed bark? 

The Maker of earth and sea 

Is the God of Eternity. 

Fear ye the furnace glow? 

Do ye not know 

The figure of a third is there, 

And ye are in his loving care? 



[^9] 



ASSURANCE 

The meadow lark mounts up on high 
And flings a challenge from the sky; 
God is in Heaven, 
All praise to Him be given. 

It is in lovely, budding flower 
We see the resurrection power; 
Our Christ in Heaven, 
What hope to mortals given. 



[30] 



THE WAYS OF LIFE 

The ways of life are with the Lord ; 

'Tis He who guides the spheres 

Through all the years ; 

Eternal laws obey His will, 

Shall not our troubled souls be still? 

The ways of life are with the Lord ; 
What though we do not understand? 
Our life is safe within His hand ; 
No power is there 
To pluck us from our Father's care. 

The ways of life are with the Lord; 
He draweth nigh with healing touch, 
And in such 

Tender tones He bids us trust the One 
Who is the Father's Son, 



[31] 



WITHOUT— WITHIN 

What if the day be cold and dark, 
If there be sunshine in my heart, 
If God's abiding love be there, 
Can I despair? 

Without may be as drear as night. 
What matter, so within be light? 
Without the storm, within the joy, 
What is it can Thy peace destroy? 

What if the strife wage fierce and long, 
So that within there be a song? 
Without the strife, within the peace. 
Without the care, within release. 



[33] 



APART 

"And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went 
up into a mountain apart to pray." Matt. 14:23. 

Spent with the heavy load of human grief, 

He sought relief 

On mountain side alone, 

Far from the world's sad moan. 

Apart from the busy throng, 

That pressed Him all day long. 

Away from earth's voices loud. 

Far from the surging crowd. 

In communion with His Lord, 

The Son of God 

Sought strength. 

The life God gavest. 

Take thou from busy care. 

To where 

The Man of Galilee 

As Bread to thy soul shalt be. 



[33] 



THE SOUL'S CRY 

MORNING. 

Lord, this day 

For strength, I pray ; 

Give me Thy peace ; 

My shackled soul release 

From torturing care ; 

And may my spirit wear 

The Heavenly dress : 

Grant me success 

In all Thou givest me to do ; 

May I be true to high attainment; 

Ever faithful be 

In thought and word to Thee. 

NIGHT. 

The day is spent: 

On bended knee I plead 

Full pardon for the deed 

Unkind ; 

For hours unfreighted with the day's best good; 

For words misunderstood; 

For what I might have been, and failed to be, 

For lack of constancy; 

Oh take away my sins, sins of the day, 

1 pray ; 

Turn not Thy face from me aside. 
But grant me peace at eventide. 

[ 34i ] 



SERVICE 

Strength for the world's great need, 

Not selfish ends I plead. 

Life's greatest good lies not within the me and 

mine, 
This I can only find 
In service for mankind. 
Man ever strives for pleasure, 
Not taking other lives within the measure 
Of his own plan. 
Earth's joys will burst as bubbles to the 

touch, 
Or handled over much 
Distasteful grow. 
Blast not thy hope 
To seek within the scope 
Of thine own life 
That depth of joy 
That service blest alone can give. 
'Tis only thus we live. 



[35] 



INASMUCH 

For that brother in the night 

Will your lamp be trimmed and bright, 

Sending forth its joyous ray 

Lest the wandering feet should stray? 

Some lone pilgrim on life's strand 

Needing now a helping hand. 

Know ye not the deed shall be 

To the Christ of Galilee? 

"Inasmuch" the words are those 

Of the Master, He who chose 

In the humblest of his o^ti 

To be found and ever known ; 

If to such the deed be done. 

It is to the Father's Son. 



[36] 



COMPENSATION 

The chords of life grim Sorrow broke, 
And lo, a seraph's song awoke; 
The shattered tenement of clay 
Set's free the spirit Heaven's way; 
The dying breath of some fair flower 
With perfume fills the passing hour; 
Born of the storm is rainbow hue, 
It is God's pledge to man anew; 
For death is life, abundant, free, 
O blessed immortality. 



[37] 



CONSECRATION 

If Thou have need of me. 

May I but willing be 

To live and work for Thee. 

Find not too hard the road, 
And cheerful bear the load 
Thou givest me. 

The way cannot be long, 
If Thou but give a song. 
Amid life's busy throng. 

No task too hard for Thee 
Dear Lord, can ever be; 
Give of Thy strength to me. 

Do Thou but lead the way 

To service, I obey ; 

Be Thou my guide and stay. 

Give grace in shade and sun 
Until life's work be done. 
Life's victory won. 



[38] 



ANYWHERE 

In any place, 
So that I see Thy face, 
And feel Thy love untold 
Thy child enfold. 
I would not choose the spot 

To place my lot ; 
It is but joy to go 
Where rivers of His grace do flow; 
To dwell with Him apart 
In busy mart ; 
Or to some distant shore set sail 
In answer to the Christless wail; 

Him would I serve; 
Ready now to stay or go 
When my Master wills it so ; 
If I can carry but a smile. 

The while. 
Into some lonely, sinful spot. 
This be my lot; 
If I, in midst of tears. 
Can calm the fears 
Of some weak soul 
Longing to be whole. 
Lead some poor wanderer home to rest, 
Then am I blest. 



[39] 



THY DAY 

This is Thy day, O, Lord, lent to us 

For our soul's refreshment; 

At evening's close may we but give 

It back to Thee, 

A record of sweet ministry. 

For Thy dear sake; 

And if some little sacrifice we make 

On this Thy day. 

It will shed brightness on the way 

Of other days, wherein the stress of duty 

Robs life of beauty, 

And makes us long for quiet and repose. 

When day shall close. 

This is Thy day, 

Dear Lord; we pray 

That it may be a sacred trust 

From Thee to us ; 

And may Thy promises divine 

Give strength sublime 

For holy tasks. 

The Sabbath of the soul, 

May it enfold 

These lives of ours 

With heavenly powers. 



[40] 



IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND 

If we could understand what comes to us each 

day, 
Or see the path we tread along life's rugged 

way; 
Why our poor lives are compassed so about 
With fear and doubt; 
Why strength 
Forever 
Is spent in vain endeavor; 
Why droops some royal flower 
Bent low by wind and storm within its bower. 

If we could understand the mysteries of life, 
Would we then be contented with this daily 

strife? 
If eyes were not so blinded by the tears that 

fall like rain, 
If ears were not so deadened by earth's dis- 
cordant strain, 

We might the music hear 
Of another sphere. 
Or see some heavenly vision clear. 
And yet, should we that knowledge gain. 
Sweet Trust were slain. 
Our souls would losers be 
Through all eternity. 
If we could understand. 

[41] 



THE MASTER'S PORTION 

"Take eat," 

It is the Master's voice that bids us to the 

feast 
From greatest to the least; 
Upon each royal guest 
Is pressed 

The emblems of a body broken, 
Love's wondrous token; 
And holy wine, 
Blood of the Man Divine : 
Shall we give less 
A world to bless? 
It is the Master's portion; 
Surely it is mete 
We give a life complete: 
"Freely ye have received," as freely give 
If ye would truly live; 
Lose your life if you would find 
It multiplied in humankind: 
It is the Master's portion; 
Is this too much 
For such 

A One who counted life not dear unto Himself? 
For sin He paid the price: 
Your life a living sacrifice 
Is His desire, 
Not burned out ashes of life's fire: 

[4^] 



It is the Master's portion, who counted it not 

loss 
To bear the cross : 
The Master's gift to you and me 
And ours to Him, what shall it be? 



[43] 



KINDNESS 

Be kind: 

Why do we walk life's wayside blind, 

When breaking hearts so need our care, 

And stooping shoulders burdens bear 

That we could lift. 

And through the darkness send a rift 

Of sunlight. 

Deaf to the heart-beats of that one who needs 

Kind words and deeds. 

Life's harp strings quiver with the stress of 

tears, 
There are so many biers ; 

A kind word shot athwart the sky of sorrow 
May bring a glad to-morrow; 
Life's funeral pyres on which are laid the 
Hopes and fears 
Of all the years. 

Into a mound of roses changed may be 
By some kind word from you and me. 



[44] 



A HALLOWED DAY 

May this day hallowed be 

In thought and word, a part of Thee: 

No dread, no fear. 

Thy presence near; 

What need to know 

The outcome of the day's hard toil, 

Or soil 

The soul with doubt? 

Perchance I may be one of that blest companie 

That thou wilt call to walk 

And talk 

With Thee, as chosen ones of old 

To whom Thou didst unfold 

Thy message : 

I, this day, 

While led in Thy appointed way, 

Will surely to new consciousness awake 

Of fuller powers ; 

And if my Lord and I keep companie. 

This day will truly be 

A benediction sweet 

To all I meet. 



[45] 



INFLUENCE 

Thoughts, words, deeds alive with heart-throbs, 

yours and mine, 
Cruel thing's or things Divine; 
Out into the world, strange birds they fly 
With their message far and nigh: 
Ripples on the Stream of Time 
Lapping shores in some far clime: 
Ships upon a boundless sea 
Reaching to Eternity. 



[46] 



POURED OUT 

How cool the ointment poured 
On tired feet of Mary's Lord. 
Her tresses like the sunbeams kissed the weary 

feet 
That throbbed and beat 
Road-spent, 

On heavenly errands bent; 
That brow thorn-pressed, 
Those eyes love blest. 
That face so full of grace. 
Those lips that drank life's cup of woe 
To its great overflow: 
Deep waves of sorrow rolling in 
Upon His anguished soul; 
The whole 
Of life poured out. 
Libation on the altar of man's sin, 
His love to win. 



[47] 



LOVE'S MINISTRY 

Love knows not self 

Or selfish ends ; 

Its friends 

Abound 

Where want is found: 

Love knows no measure, 

Her treasure 

Lavishly she gives ; 

She lives 

For others' need; fair 

Messenger of God in service rare. 

Self out of sight, 

Man can unite 

With God and be 

With Him in blessed ministry. 



[48] 



RESURRECTION MORN 

Hope slept 

While guards their lonely vigil kept: 

Ere rosy fingers of the dawn 

Had touched the morn, 

The sealed tomb 

Was brushed by angel wing, no longer gloom 

Within the portal, 

But light immortal: 

An angel came the sleeping Christ to wake 

For mortals' sake ; 

Hope spoke 

When Christ awoke. 



[49] 



THE SOUL'S MARCH 

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against 
principalities, against powers; against the rulers of the 
darliuess of this world; against spiritual wickedness in 
high places." Eph. 6:12. 

Not to drum and to fife 

Is the march of the soul 

In the battle of life; 

But a voice still and small 

Is the summons ; the call 

To duty; obey 

And be victor in life's fiercest fray. 

The call, danger's alarm 

In life's pleasant calm; 

The foe all unseen ; 

A screen 

Is the flesh 

That hides from man's sight 

The enemy's might. 

But proof 'gainst the weakness of man 

Is the armor of God ; 

No foe can withstand the Word of the Lord: 

For the victor, the Master's "Well done," 

When battles are won. 



[50] 



DIVINE PITY 

Man stained with sin, 
So foul within, 
Brought from above 
A Saviour's love. 

A pierced side. 
Love's cleansing tide, 
A sin-sick soul, 
By Christ made whole. 

At Calvary 
Love set men free; 
At empty tomb. 
Light banished gloom. 



[61J 



RESPONSIBILITY 

Alone, no man may walk, 

For tracking him 

Are shadows grim; 

Or at his side, 

Joy will abide 

As his companion, 

For seeds of kindness sown, 

For deeds of mercy done ; 

Alone, he may not walk ; 

No man liveth to himself, no never, 

Nor can he sever 

His frail life 

From that of brother man ; 

Man lives or dies as to another, 

And he his brother. 

Alone, he may not walk. 

Accusing or excusing him each day 

Upon life's way. 

The still small voice 

That causes him to weep or to rejoice: 

A power for uplift, man may be 

Or send adrift 

Some soul, a derelict, upon life's boundless sea. 



[5a] 



POSSESSION 

Not what I have, but what I am, is mine ; 

No worldly goods I boast, 

But all my gifts come from the hand Divine: 

They are the sum of all things ; 

The riches of His grace. 

The glory of His face 

Revealed to me ; 

His promises are sure, 

They will endure ; 

And they are mine ; 

More wonderful than jewels they shall shine 

Upon my path ; 

And I may carry them to yonder shore, 

Mine they shall be forever more. 



[53] 



THE CROSS-ROADS 

One leads to Calvary: 

The dawn of Hope transfigures all the way ; 
Nor heat, nor cold 

The feet delay ; nor thorny path the eyes be- 
hold; 
Naught is there that can intervene 
To hide the distant scene. 
The other leads from Calvary's brow, 
A road with flowers strewn; 
But soon 

'Tis desert land, the flowers decay 
Along this way: 
To hills of Paradise, 
No road save by the way of sacrifice. 



[64] 



THE MESSAGE OF THE HOURS 

Redeem the time while ye may, 

Golden our gifts, they say ; 

Fresh from the hand of God, to the children of 

men. 
Blessings we bring again and again. 
Golden treasure 
Without measure 

Is the gift they leave at our door each day, 
Then silently steal away. 
Throw away gold.'' 
Manifold 

Greater the power 
That lies in each passing hour. 
In life's short day 
Throw gold away? 
A spendthrift is he 
Who squanders such treasure aimlessly. 



[55] 



FORGIVENESS 

Alone, husks for his hunger: 

His father has enough, enough to spare, 

And eager he to share 

With one 

Who is his son. 

The wandering feet 

Wooed by the father's open door. 

Turned back upon their way 

While yet 'twas day. 

Not grudgingly doth love bestow forgiveness. 

"A great way off" the father runs to meet 

The weary one, all spent with heat 

Of toilsome road 

Bearing his load 

Of sin. 

Unworthy? yes, but love restores again 

To men 

Their heritage. 

Wide open is the door 

To welcome him once more. 



[56] 



WEAKNESS 

Weary ? Faint-hearted ? 

In weakness, My strength 

All sufficient shall be, 

For am I not He 

Who flingeth the stars into space, 

And holdeth the spheres in their place? 

Who bindeth the waves of the sea 

That they overwhelm not? 

Who hath said, sufficient My strength shall 

evermore be? 
Thy burden is heavy? 
Then cast it on One who has known 
The weight of the Cross, 
And didst bear it alone. 



[57] 



CHARITY 

'Tis Love's sweet task 

To ask 

No questions, 

But o'er the sullied past 

To cast 

Her ample robe ; 

To blot from Memory's tablet 

Unkindness' sting, 

The thing 

That hurts, the jar. 

The fret, 

All to forget: 

Greater than Faith is Love 

That thinketh evil never; 

And Hope, the pilgrim's staff 

To mortals given, is less though from above, 

For God Himself is Love. 



[68] 



MY HERITAGE 

Have I no palace fair within to dwell, 

I still can tell of my possessions : 

A sky aflame with love Divine, 

The glowing colors of the dying day, 

Each starlit ray, 

Are mine: 

And as I step upon the fragrant sod, 

There too, I see the hand of God 

In tree and flower 

Mine to enjoy this hour: 

Yea, all are mine; 

No man from me can take 

The glory that is far and nigh. 

My heritage from God on high. 



[59] 



SONGS IN THE NIGHT 

There's never a day so full of care 
But Jesus the load will help you bear ; 
A lifted load makes burdens light, 
Christ bringeth cheer in darkest night; 
Then sing, O soul, upon thy way. 
Be glad for trials thine this day. 

If borne aright they lead to God, 
The Son of Man passed under the rod ; 
He knows each heart, He'll send relief, 
He giveth joy for bitter grief; 
Then sing, soul, upon thy way, 
And welcome trials thine this day. 



[60] 



SYMPATHY 

To say "I know" 

When in the presence of another's woe 

We stand ; 

To comfort others with the comfort given us 

of God, 
This is the lesson that our Lord 
Would have us learn; 
How could we understand 
Another's woe had we not felt affliction's hand? 



[61] 



THE COMMON TASK 

"I am among you as he that serveth." Luke 22:27. 

What if it be in lowly ways we find 

Our task; 'tis service for mankind; 

It can be beautified by One 

Who was the Son 

Of Joseph; man yet God 

Feared not to soil 

His hands in daily toil: 

Each common task transformed may be 

By this same Christ of Galilee. 



[62] 



THY KINGDOM 

Thou suffered woe 
That man might know 
A Heaven below. 

What price to pay 
For Heaven's way 
In Life's short day. 

Thy work begun, 
Thy will here done 
From sun to sun. 

What need to pray 

Thy kingdom come this day, 

Unless we work as well as pray? 



[63] 



THE CHRIST 

Not o'er the trackless desert need we go 
To find the Christ: 
For wheresoe'er men's feet have trod, 
There may be found the Son of God : 
O, blessed day when Christ was bom, 
O, blessed, holy Christmas morn ; 
So wondrous Thy nativity. 
More wondrous still is Calvary. 



[64] 



THE UPLANDS 

To reach the summit's height 

By might 

Of will; 

To feel the thrill 

Of effort, crowned with vision rare ; 

To bear 

Within the heart, achievement's power: 

Not easy won the goal, 

Effort the toll 

To pay for upland joy, the cost 

Lost 

In the wonder of it all. 

There things of earth grow small: 

He who hath trod 

The uplands in communion with his God, 

Must richer be 

For that great vision of Eternity. 



[65] 



OPPORTUNITY 

On winged-feet he comes, bearing the hour's 

need: 
He pauses at our door 
And knocks ; unanswered, he is gone with 

treasures rich he bore. 



[66] 



LIFE'S LOOM 

So tangled is the skein of life 

And spoiled the pattern in the strife 

By hands unskilled: 

But there is One who'll stand beside us at the 

loom 
If we for Him will but make room : 
Beyond all price 

He tells us is the thread of sacrifice ; 
And bids us weave with tender care 
The golden thread of Love so rare: 
So fast the shuttles fly; sometimes by sight 
We weave the colors dark or bright ; 
Sometimes in blindness we must weave, 
And leave 
Results with One who knoweth all our trials 

and our fears, 
He sees our tears. 
And He will wipe them all away 
In that great day 

When we have left the shuttle and the loom 
To meet Him in life's upper room. 



[67] 



SORROW 

Through pain and sorrow there is wrought 

Within the temple of the soul 

A beauty fair ; 

Shall we not thank Thee, Lord, for gems so 

rare ? 
Why do we grasp the thorn, forget the flower 
That blooms for us in sorrow's hour? 
God's view of life so different from our own; 
When we have grown 
Out of this narrow bound, 
We will have found 
Our lives were planned aright; 
Here we must walk by faith, not sight. 



[68] 



INJUSTICE 

Yea, He bore it too; 

Bore scofF and sting with heavenly calm, 

And having borne it, giveth balm 

To all who suffer from the stings 

Injustice brings ; 

Yea, patiently He bore it all. 

That He might save us from its thrall. 



[69] 



RENUNCIATION 

Self so obstructs the way 

That leads to fulness of Life's day. 

The Master sought to know 

Another's woe, 

And in the quest, His life unbound 

From self. He found 

His work; untrammeled He could do 

The hour's need. Self lost, we too 

May find 

Our task for heart and mind. 



[70] 



BURDEN-SHARING 

If I live my life aright, 
It will make the burden light 
For another. 

If I do with heart and mind 
Whatsoever task I find, 
Then another 

Will be helped because I'm true 
In the work I have to do. 
He, my brother. 



[71] 



TRUST 

"Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a 
little child he shall not enter therein." Mark 10:15. 

A ladder that doth reach from earth to Heaven 

To mortals given ; 

By which we mount each golden round up to 

the gate, 
Where soon or late 
As little children we must come 
If we would find the Father's home. 



[72] 



GOD'S BOUNTY 

Into uplifted hearts He'll pour 
Rich treasure from His bounteous store. 
The flower's cup runs o'er with dew, 
And more, yea more. He'll give to you 
Of His rich grace, abundant, free, 
Measured by God's eternity. 



[73] 



LIFE'S MUSIC 

The world is full of the power of song 

If touched are life's chords aright; 

The darkest night cannot be long, 

For Hope dwells in the light. 

The Master's hand repairs the lute 

When broken with the strain 

Of pain 

It lieth mute. 

Unskilled is man in love's fine art; 

When taught of God, he setteth free 

Life's melody. 



[74] 



DIVINITY 

The spark divine that smoulders in each breast. 
Fanned into flame at Love's behest, 
A mighty force 
Becomes, consuming dross 

Of base desire. 
An unquenched fire: 

The gold refine, 
Man then is power divine. 



[75] 



THE OLD YEAR 

The Old Year is dead, we say, 

When at break of day 

A New Year dawns, 

As the Old Year passes away. 

And yet, is it true, since naught can sever 

Man from his past? Deeds live forever. 

The days that have flown 

We never again may call our own: 

But when Memory's door shall open wide. 

There are the deeds that have never died. 

And over the grave of the year that has gone 

You and I may be called to mourn. 



[76] 




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